Gauhati HC orders two local ruffians to clean martyr statue

Two persons, accused of assaulting a local student leader in Sonitpur district in northern Assam, have been directed by the Gauhati High Court to render social service by way of cleaning the statue of Kanaklata, a 1942 martyr, in Gohpur town for a period of seven days.

The order was issued by Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan while deposing the bail petitions of Rajib Uzir Gandhi and Ashish Basumatary, who had allegedly assaulted All Bodo Students’ Union leader Ukhel Basumatary at his residence in West Kheroni village under Gohpur police station in Sonitpur district on July.

The student leader in his FIR lodged with the Gohpur police station had complained that the two had broken into his house and injured him with a brick after he had mobilized people to protest against their “anti-social activities”. The investigating officer in the case diary said that while it was true that the two bail petitioners were local ruffians, the injury sustained by the complainant was also simple in nature.

Justice Bhuyan, on hearing the bail petition, granted pre-arrest bail to the two accused, but not before directing that in the event of arrest of the two petitioners they shall be released on bail by furnishing a bail bond of Rs 10,000 each with one local surety of like amount to the satisfaction of the arresting authority. The judge also ordered the duo to engage in social service by cleaning the statue of martyr Kanaklata located in the heart of Gohpur town, for a period of 7 days on such date and time as may be fixed by the Investigating Officer.

The accused are required to appear before the IO within 10 days from today and cooperate with the investigation of the case. Petitioners shall also submit an undertaking of good conduct before the IO.

Kanaklata Barua, a 17-year-old girl, was killed by a bullet fired by police while she was leading a procession to hoist the tricolor in the Gohpur police station on September 20, 1942. She was one of the few women who had attained martyrdom in india’s freedom movement.